Planoqrapii co



G. E. WATT.

CUTTING DEVICE FOR CABLES, CHAINS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31.!913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PM, an 204 23 6M THE coumnm PLANOGRAPII co., WASHINGTON, h. c.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

G. E. WATT.

CUTTING DEVICE FOR CABLES, CHAINS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED lULY 31,1918- 1,313,435. I PatentedAug. 19,1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOQRAPIT 60.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

G. E. WATT.

CUTTING DEVICE FOR CABLES, CHAINS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31,19l8.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

644; Mm, 9M M, W 1 36M G. E. WATT.

CUTTING DEVICE FOR CABLES, CHAINS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLlCATlON FILED JULY 31,!918.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

GEORGE ED IN WATT, oEwEsT'IvI NsTE orna on EN LAN ASSIGNOR To VICKERS LIMITED, OF WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND.

CUTTING DEvIcEEoE cAELEs CHAINS, AND THE LIKE. v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE Eiivvifi WATT, a subject of the King of Great Briteiii, residing at Vicker's House, Broadw y; Westininster, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new end useful Iinpl'ovemeiits in or Relating to Cutting Devices fol Cables; Chains,- and the like, of which the following; is specification;

This invention relates to cutting devices for severing cables, c'hatin's aiidj'other connections employed more especially for sub merged bodies, such as submarine mines. The device is one intei'ided to be used in connection with it body or epparitiis towed under Waterby a, ship. v

According to this invention the cutter, which is in the form (if jaws between Which the cable or other connection enters, is sic: tuated by hydraulic pressure derived from the pressure of air or other gaseous fluid stored under high'cempression in a'sditable vessel on or" forming art of the tovved body or apparatus. The cutter nieycomprise a pair of oppositely situeted'cutting blades between which the cable enters; one of the said blades being movable under the pressure of the liquid acting in a cylinder against '21- plum may be carried in the towed body or maybe" ger or piston carrying the said blade; suit: able hydraulic,- packihg-- being provided around the plunger. The hydraulic app-a ratus is automatically brought into opera tion on the entry of the chain or cable between the jaws of the cutter; preferably by means of a small slide valve under the con trol of a trigger or lever arm actu-ai'ted by the chain or cable. The slide valve cuts ofi' the pressure and returns to normal position-as soon as the chain or cable has been cut through and is-clear' of the" ciitter; the valve at the same time putting the cylinder to exhaust. If desired it-Inay also allow vv'ater pressure to be used-to return the cutter and its piston to normal position, one spring may serve for this purpose When-the exhaust is opened.- 7 I 7 The compressed air or gas supply vessel fitted onthe outside of the body orfcrm' Specification of Letters iatent.

Patented Aug. 19, 1919.

part of a: hydropiieiiineti'c device which tizthsm'i sftlie pi sslile the Ciitti piston, A gas",- sueh ascarbo'nic acid gas, may be used which is'liqiiefied under thestoragie pressure em le ed and is allowed to expand intofthe if op neumttic device for operation of the eu'tter; Th said device may be inthe form of at cyliii er, preferably (if substantial length, carrying a piston having a, long tn bulzii stem .extendiiig frdm one face through one end of the cylinderg the full area of the piston being iitiliied for the pneumatic pressure While the reduced area, of the annular piston faije, results increased pressure on the liquid, which is su plied to the cylinder emu-gt a hen-return valv A ceimeetien leads from the liydi'opneumetie cylinder t6 the cutter cylinder through the slide vat-lye, which opens endcloses eommunieatio'n be} tiveeii the tWo cylinders. The amount of gaseous fluid iiiide i' pressure shouldbe'suf fi'cie'nt to provide'for a number ofciittiiig opemians and the hydropneumetic cylinder may be ofsuch a: le gth 'tb anew thepis' we to move successive sttges, at eztchof which 5 cutting enemies performed, the arrangement ofpiston' being seen repr vent lea lkztge of ,Qzis thi'oil'gh'the piston leath:

BI'S; I V

Theeiitter' employed may eonipiise a, pair of ep ositely fsituztted blzldes one of is en the ram-,- the movement of the meet being limited so that the times; cannot come into cent-eat; oi cutters of shearing or other type may be employed. Y I Y .The Vtovved body may be provided with safety 'me'chenism zidaptedto brir'ig it tothe surface w en the ,hydrdpneumatic device has" completed its vv'ork aiid'is no longer eble to efieflct further etitting opeititidns; For this purpose the said device Indy efl'ect'the operationo f a rudder commune the de th of the towed body; so estocausethe bo 'dyflto rise to the surface; v y

In order that the em invention my be m re cleaily ufiderstodd end i'eldily carried i'i'itoefl'ect, reference Will fiow be held to theetccompenying di ayviiig s'invvhich v r Fig-m 1- en smash of s towed body carrying the cutter at its nose and Fig. l is a continuation of Fig. 1 showing the hydropneumatic device on its tail section.

Fig. 2 showsthe tail section, at right angles to Fig. 1. i v i Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the hydropneumatic device showing it at the end of'its work and in position to operate the safety device.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the said device taken at right angles to Fig. 3; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a side and a front elevation of the cutter, With-parts in Section. i

v A is the towed bodythe tail section A of which carries the tail blades B, B and the rudder B The'body A (which may carry an explosivecharge) is shown of the type adapted to tow outwardly and downwardly by means of depressor planes or wings O fitted to the underside and extending laterally on both sides of the body. D is the cutter mounted on the upper side of the body A and provided with the upper fixed blade d and the lower power operated "blade d, the two blades being placed OPPO- site each other as shown in Fig. 6. E is a hydrauliccylinder in which moves a piston e carrying the lower blade 03''. F is a slide valve (see Fig. 5) controlling the admission of pressure liquid to the cylinder E and operated by the lever G and fork g extending at each side of the cutter toward the gap between the jawsQ H is the cylinder of the hydropneumatic device or intensifier mounted on the tail ofthe body Abetween the tail blades B. J is the hydraulic or intensifier ram or plungerin the cylinder H.

The ram J is formed withthe enlarged piston end jprovided with thetwo opposed hydraulic packing-rings j, 7'? and the body of the ram is of substantially smaller diameter and passes through the packed gland hat the end of the cylinder H leaving an annular space h which is filled with liquid usually water. The ram is hollow and forms with the front end of the cylinder H a chamber receiving a charge of carbonic acid or othercompressi'ble or gaseous fluid under high pressure. The charge may however be provided in a separate container in the body A or outside and led through suitable connections tothe cylinder H. 7

From thev cylinder Hand communicating with the annular cylinder space it is a pipe K leading to the valve F and supplying liquid under pressure to thejcutter cylinder E. The cutter, cylinder, valve and attached parts are carried onthe body -A near its nose by means of the frameL (Fig. 1) secured around the body and over the;

nose and the front part of the frame is provided with a gym ingor fender plate- Z,

The piston e carrying the cutter blade d is provided with a cup leather e secured in-place by a screwed ring 6 and a perforated innerringe?v which insures the liquid pressure acting upon the inner faces of the cup leather to provide a liquid tight joint. The packing rings j, 7' of the ram piston j, servingrespectively for the carbonic 'acid and the liquid, may be constructed in a similar manner. l w V The valve F (Fig. 5) is in the form of a. slide valve passing through glands f in .the casing fg and normally pressed against the lever G by the internal, pressure of the liquid in the casing, the valve and f" distant from the leveribeing slightly smaller than the adjacent end. Owing to the difference in diameter there isan excessv of pressure due to the liquid under pressure in the casing; f which causes the valve F to be pressed toward the right hand side. The valve' isshown in position for supplying, liquid under pressure to the cylinder E through a tube leading from the valve to the nipple e (Fig. 6) of the cylinder, the pipe K (which passes inside the body A'from the tail section to the nose end) admitting.v the liquid from the annular space 72.. of the cylinder'H-to the interior of. the valve casing. The latter is provided with the admission port f and the exhaust port through the first of which the liquid passes to the cylinder E' when the valve is in the position shown in Fig.- 5. On thereturn movement of the valve F the ports f and-7 are placed in communication with each other through the recess f in the upper face of the valve F and the cylinder E vis therefore opened to the exhaust and theliquid allowed to flow into the surrounding water. i

The general operation of the power cutter is as follows On a chain or cable entering between the jaws of the cutter D it meets the front end of the fork g, pressing the latter back and causing the lever G to move the slide valve F to the left (Fig. 5). This action cuts off the cylinder E from the exhaust through the port f and opens it to the interior of the valve casing through the port f There is permanent communication between the valve casing and the annular space it of the intensifier cylinder H, which space is filled with liquid under the very high pressure due to the pressure of the carbonic acid or other gas in the hollow ram J and cylinder Heating upon the piston of the ram. Liquid under this pressure 7 therefore is admitted to the-cylindereE and acts on the piston 6 moving {up thetbottom blade 03 of the cutter D against the fixed upper blade d, sons to severthe cable or chain. The upperv blade 01 may haven square lower edge, as shown, thelowerbladed" having a wedge shaped or angular edge or any other suitable form of edge may "be employed. The shank d? of thecutter d isnot' fixed to the piston e butis-carried on thespherical bearing pieced resting in a spherical seating in the said piston, the cutter d moving in guides d.

'On the cable orchain being severed it falls awayand releases the fork g andlever G, whereupon the valve 1* returns automatically-to exhaust position, allowing the cutter piston e and? cutter blade d"tobe returned by the spring d tothe position shown in Fig. '5, ready for the next operation. The amount-of pressure'liquid employed is measured by the volume swept out by the piston e and'this its-considerably less than the available supply in the cylinder H so that the ram J and piston "j move through only. a fraction of their complete stroke for each cutting operation and are therefore ready forthenextcut as soon, asa

new cableenters the cutter. "Thar-am J may, for example, bearranged tocffect'sixcuts in successive "movements before the end of its complete stroke is reaehed 'andthe gas has beenallowed to expand to the full volume allowed.

When the rain reaches the end of its stroke and the cuttercan no longer be operated the safety device comes into operation to bring the towed body A to the surface. This safety device, in the construction shown, comprises a pair of bell crank levers M with rollers m adapted to meet the chamfered end 3' of the ram J when the latter reaches the end of its stroke (as shown in Fig. .3), and connecting rods m with cross bar m attached to the end of the lever b which in turn is connected to the rudder B through the connecting rod 6; The rods m are provided with springs m to keep the levers M in position. The lever b may be connected to a diaphragm indicated at 0 and closing the tail section A, the diaphragm serving as a depth control device, the pressure of the water acting on the diaphragm to move the rudder B so as to cause the towed body, which is towed in an inclined position, to rise or sink when the hydrostatic pressure exceeds or is less than a predetermined pressure. The action of the ram, at the end of its series of partial strokes, upon the levers M and connections is in such a direction as to move the rudder over against the control of the diaphragm,

mounted upon the said body, a hydraulic pressure deviceadapted to operate the said cutter,means for storing gaseous fluid under high compression and means for operating the hydraulic device by the gaseous pressure.

'2. Atowed body,.a power operated cutter mounted :upon the said body, a hydraulic device adapted to operate the cutter .by

liquid supply under pressure, a ram by which (the liquid is subjected to pressure, and .means for storing gaseous fluid under highcompression for actlon on the hydraulic ram.

3. A towed'body, a power operated cutter mounted upon the said body, a hydraulic device adapted to operate the cutter, a rain by whicht e liquid is subjected to pressure, the said ram being provided with an enlarged piston head, and means for storing gaseous fluid under high compression for I actionon the enlarged piston portion ofthe ram, tlie 'liqu'id under pressure filling the annular space surrounding the ram.

"45. A towedi b'ody, a power operated cutter mounted on the said body, a hydraulic def-vgi'ce adapted'to operate the saideutter under-liquid pressure, a cylinder supplied with the liquid and a hollow ram within the said cylinder, adapted to be filled with highly compressed gaseous fluid which acts upon the ram to subject the-liquid to pressure.

5. A towed body, a power operated cutter mounted on the said body, which cutter com prises a pairof opposing blades, one of which is movable. plunger carrying the movable blade, a cylinder within which the plunger acts under hydraulic pressure, means for storing gaseous fluid under high compression, and means for utilizing the said fluid to produce the required hydraulic pressure for operation of the cutter.

6. A towed body, a power operated cutter mounted upon the said body, which cutter comprises a pair of cutting blades, means for guiding the object to be out between the said blades, a hydraulic device for operating the cutter, and means by which such hydraulic device is brought into operation on the entry of the object to be out between the cutter blades.

7. A towed body, a power operated cutter mounted on the said body, which cutter comprises a pair of Opposing cutting blades, means for guiding an object to be out between the said blades, a hydraulic pressure device adapted to operate the cutter, means for storing gaseous fluid under high compression, means for utilizing the gaseous fluid for operation of the hydraulic pressure device, a valve controlling the supply of liquid under pressure to the cutter operating mechanism and means for guiding the said valve automatically on the entry of the object to be out between the cutter blades.

8. A towed body, a power operated cutter mounted on the said body, which cutter comprises a pair of opposin cutting blades, means for guiding the ob ect to be out between the said blades, a hydraulic plunger adapted to operate a cutting blade, a cylindei' within which the plunger works, a slide valve adapted to supply hydraulic pressure to the said cylinder and to place the cylinder'to exhaust, lever mechanism operating the said valve and adapted to be actuated on the entry of the object to be out between the cutting blades, a liquid pressure supply device connected to the valve and cylinder of the cutter, and means for obtaining the liquid pressure from gaseous fluid stored under high compressio .e l

9. A towed body, a power operated' utter mounted on the said body, a hydraulic piessure device adapted to operate the said cut: ter, means for storing gaseous fluid under high compression, and a hydraulic ram 7 adapted to be acted upon by the fluid pressure and to supply' the hydraulic pressure to the cuttingmechanism in a succession of stages, each stage efiecting a cutting opera; tion. s

10; A towed body, a power operated cutter mounted on the said body and comprising a fixed and a'movable blade, a fixed guide within which the movable blade works, a plunger provided with a spherical bearing for the movable blade and means for supplyingrhydraulic pressure to:the said plunger.

11, A towed body,a power operated cutter mounted on thejsaid'body and a safety device adapted automatically to bring the towedabody to the surface when the power supply of the cutter is exhausted.

12. A towed body, a power operated cutter mounted on the said body, a depth control rudder on the bodyand means for operating the said rudder automatically when the :power. supply ofthe cutter is. exhausted, so as'to cause thetowedbodyto rise to the surface. g 1 #13. Aitowed body, a power operated cutter mounted onthe said-body, a depth con trol rudder, cutter operating mechanism, a hydraulic ram adapted ,to supply liquid under pressure to the said mechanism in a succession of stages, and connections from the ram to the rudder adaptedto move thelatter over into a position whichbrings the towed body to .thesurface when the ram reaches the end of its working stroke' Inwitness whereof I- afiix my signature.

GEORGE EDWIN WATT.

.Gopies ot this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byiaddjr essinglthe fcoininissioner of Patents,

- @waihington, 13:0. 

